Steering-wheel construction for automobiles.



J. F. DURYEA.

STEERING WHEEL CONSTRUCTION FOR AUTOMOBILES APPLICATION FILED JAN.27.1'5|13 1,130,263. Patented M21112, 191;

3 SHEETS SHEET 1.

y S; 9 Jwwsffl g l a Z 0 dwwww J. F. DURYEA. STEERING WHEEL cousmucnouron AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.27.19131.

1,1 30,263. Patented Mar. 2, 191:,

3 SHEETSSHEET 2 TIP. DURYEA. STEERING WHEEL GONSTRU GTION FOR AUTO MOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED 'JAN 27. 1M3.

Patented Mar. 2

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Jnzes I Wa ren snares r'n raur current (RABIES F. DURYEA, OF SPBINGrFIElid MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 1'0 STEVENS- DURYEA COMIANY, 0F- GHECOPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 'OF Massaonnsnrrs.

STEERING-WHEEL cous'rnoc'rrou non nurouzonrnns.

Application filed January 27, 1913.

citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering-W heel Construction for Automobiles, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in steering wheel construction for use with motor vehicles and has for its object to proyride an improved form of steering Wheel construction embodying the engine controls therein.

Another object of this invention is to pro vide an improved form of steering wheel in which are contained the throttleand spark controlling means for a gas engine. it has been found in the present-day construction of similar devices that where the spark control rod and throttle control sleeve surrounding the latter and spaced therefrom are located in the steering column a certain amount of wear takes place so as to cause rattling and jarring and other difficulties. My invention aims to eliminate thesetroubles and to provide an improved means for adjustment of the bearing surfaces of these devices, and means to automatically take up any wear occurring. 5

Other objects will be made apparent and set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which v Figure 1 is a side elevation partially in section showing the steering wheel embodying my invention. Fig. is a longitudinal section through the steering column showing the controlling member. Fig. a is a continuation of Fig. 2. tinuation of Fig. 2*. Fig. 3 is a side elevation partially in section of a detail ofthe.

controlling devices. Fig. 4 is a perspective of the spring clip member.

v Like numerals refer to like elements throughout the drawings, in which 10 designates generally my steering column hav ing the sleeve 11 carrying at one extremity the usual form of steering wheel indicated by numeral 12 andfecured at its opposite extremity to the sleeve 13 carrying the screw 14: meshing with the sector 15, which in turn is connected to the steering knuckle 16. This construction forms no part of my pres ent invention and it isnot necessary to fur Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 2 is a con Patented anti. 2. 1915. Serial No. 744,435.

ther describe the same. An external t'protecting casing 17 is located around the entire steering column. 1,

Carried ad acent to the steering wheel is the notchedquadrant 1$ carried. by what 1 term t h fixed sleeve ,1 Located at the top is the ollarQO secure to the outer portion thereof and resting upon a fixed casing member 21. This collar 20 serves to main- Ftain the fixed .sleeve seourelyat the top of the steering column. The rotatable sleeve 22 is located within the fixed sleeve 19 and is spaced therefrom by the bearing collar 23:

at the upper portion thereof. This bearing collar is provided with a tapered socket or inclined upper portion indicated by numeral 2% for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The rotatable sleeve .22 is provided with the collar 25 from which projects the operating lever 26 terminating in the button 2? and provided with an upwardly extending shoulder 28 adapted to seat in notches in the quadrant 18. This bearing collar 25 is conically tapered, as indicated by numeral 29, to closely fit in the tapered. socket 2 1 of bearing collar 23 and it is brazed or otherwise suitably secured to the upper extremity of the rotatable sleeve 22.

Located within the sleeve 22 and spaced therefrom by the bearing collar 30 is the r0- tatable rod 31 carrying at its upper extrem ity a cap bearing 32 from which projects the operating lever 33 terminating in the but-- ton 34- and provided. with the downwardly projecting shoulder 35 adapted to seat in notches in the quadrant 18. This bearing cap is provided with a tapered conical lower portion 86 fitting in a similarly tapered socket 37 at the upper portion of bearing collar 30. At the opposite end of the rotatable sleeve 22 is mounted the hub 38 of the bevel gear At the ad acent extrcmity of the fixed sleeve 19 is located the clampedcollar 20 serving to hold the same securely in place. At the lower extremity of the rotatable rod 31, which projects through the rotatable sleeve 22, is secured the hub 40 carrying the smaller. bevel gear 4:1. It will be noted that the rotatable sleeve 22 projects a slight distance through and beyond the sleeve 19 and the rod 31 similarly projects through and beyond the rotatable sleeve-22.

A U-shaped clip or spring 42 (see Fig. 4)

is provided with the enlarged extremities 43, 44 apertured as indicated by numerals 45 and 46, respectively. The aperture 45 fits over the rod 31 and the enlarged ex! 5 tremity 43 abuts. against the hub 40. The aperture 46 similarly fits over the rotatable sleeve 22 and the enlarged end ll abuts against the extremity of the fixed sleeve 19, the rotatable sleeve being spaced therefrom by the collar 47. The collar 48 serves to space the extremity of the rod 31 from the rotatable sleeve 22, as shown in Fig. 2. The U-shaped clip 42 being formed of spring metal and compressed when shown in the position indieatedin Fig. 2 will act to draw rod 31 downwardly with respect to fixed sleeve 19, as will be apparent. This operates to draw the tapered bearing surface 37 of cap 32 against the inclined surface 36 of socket portion of bearing collar 30, which further operates to draw or press the in-- ,clined or tapered surface 29 of'collar25 against the inclined or tapered wall of socket 24: of bearing collar 23." 2,5 It will be apparent that. I have provided a bearing surface for the cap 32 and thereby have provided for journaling the rotatable rod 31 in a position spaced from the rotatable sleeve 22 and similarly I have journaled the rotatable sleeve 22 and spaced the same from the fixed sleeve 19.; These bearing surfaces being inclined as shown and the action of the U- shaped clip being constantly exerted, it"wil be apparent that as wear takes place on th inciined bearing surfaces they will be'still drawntogether atid the wedging action that results will serve to keep the bearingsiirfaces effectually in contact and will sci-veto keep the rod and 40 sleeves in proper spaced relation. It is to be noted that the bevelgear 39 is in mesh with thetoothed segment 50, and bevel gear 41 is in engagement with toothed segment 51, these segments being connected respectively to a carbureter control and spark con- .trol or vice versa as desired.

While I have shown and described my improved device with more or less particularity, I do not wish to be restricted to such showing fio beyond the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: f 1. In a device of the class described, a steering column comprising a fixed sleeve,

a rotatable controlling member located in 4 said 'sleeveand spaced therefrom, said controlling member' being provided with a tapered bearingmember, said fixedsleeve being'provided with a collar bearing adapted tn space said rotatable controlling mem- 5 her from said sleeve, said collar hearing being provided with a tapered socket, said tapered bearing member of said controlling member being adapted to fit in said tapered socket and rotate thereon.

2. In a device of the class described, a

,adapted to fit in said tapered socket and romember.

steering column comprising a fixed sleeve, a rotatable controlling member located in said sleeve and spaced therefrom, said controlling member being provided with a'tapered bearing member, said fixed sleevebeing prov vided with a collar bearing adapted to space said rotatable controlling member from said sleeve, said collar bearing being provided with a tapered socket, said tapered bearing member of saidcontrolling member being adapted to fit in said tapered socket and rotate thereon, and means to maintain said bearing member in contact with said tapered socket. a i

3. In a device of the class described, a steering column comprising a fixed sleeve, a rotatable controlling member located in said sleeve and spaced therefrom, said control-,

I ling member being provided with a tapered bearing member, said fixed sleeve being provided with a collar bearing adapted to space said rotatable controlling member'from said sleeve, said collar bearing being provided with a tapered socket,said tapered bearing member of said controlling member being adapted to fit in said tapered socket, and rotate thereon, jandmeans to maintain said,

ling member being provided with a tapered bearing member, said fixed sleeve being pro-' vided with a collar bearing adapted'to space said rotatable controlling member from said sleeve, saidcollar bearing being provided with a tapered socket, said tapered bearing member of said controlling member being tate thereon, and m an to maintain said bearing member in contact with said tapered socket, said means comprising a spring member having an extremitycoactingvwith the extremity of their fixed sleeve'and havmg another extremity coacting with the extremity of said rotatable controlling member and adapted to move the latter away from.the former to maintainsaid controlling member in position' in; said sleeve clip for maintaining said controlling mem- 130 her in constantly uniform association with said first named means.

6'. In a device of the class described, a steering column .comprisinga fixed sleeve,

'a rotatable controlling sleeve mounted in steering column comprising a fixed sleeve,-

a rotatable controlling sleeve mounted in said casing, a rotatable controlling rod mounted in said-controlling sleeve, a bearing collar carried by said fixed sleeve and serving to space said controlling sleeve therefrom, said bearing collar-being provided with a tapered socket, said controlling sleeve being-provided with a tapered bearing member adapted to seat in said tapered socket, said controlling sleeve being provided with a collar bearing, said last named bearing being provided with a tapered socket, said controlling rod being provided with a bearin member, said bearing member being providcd'with a tapered portion adapted to seat in said tapered socket of said controlling sleeve and collar bearing.

8. In a device of the class described, a.

steering column comprising a fixed sleeve, a rotatable controlling sleeve mounted in said casing, a rotatable controlling rod mounted in said controlling sleeve, a bearing collar carried by said fixed sleeve and serving to space said controlling sleeve therefrom, said bearing collar being provided with a tapered socket, said controlling sleeve being provided with a tapered bearing member adapted to seat in said tapered socket, said controlling sleeve being provided with a collar bearing said last named bearing being provided with a tepered socket, said controlling rod being pro vided with a bearing member, said bearing member being provided with a tapered por tion adapted to seat in said tapered socket of said controlling sleeve and collar bearing, and means to maintain said respective bear ing members in constant contact with their respective tapered socket bearings.

, 9. In a device of the class described, a steering column comprising a fixed sleeve, a rotatable controlling sleeve mounted in said casing, a rotatable controlling rod mounted in said controlling sleeve, a bearing collar carried by said fixed sleeve and serving tospace said controlling sleeve therefrom, 'said bearing collar being provided with a tapered socket, said cont-rob ling sleeve being provided with a tapered bearing member adapted to seat in said tapered socket, said controlling sleeve being provided with acollar bearing, said last named bearing being provided with a tepered socket, said controlling rod being provided with a bearinglmemb'er, said bearing member being provided with a tapered portion adapted to seat in said tapered socket of said controlling sleeve and collar bearing,v

and means to maintain said respective bearing members in constant contact with their respective tapered socket bearings, said means comprising a U-shaped spring memher having one extremity fitting over said controlling sleeve and abutting against an extremity of said fixed sleeve, said clip member being provided with another extremity to fit over said controlling rod and. abut against the collar carried at the end thereof, said clip member being formed of spring material, the extremities thereof being adapted to normally separate. 7

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

. JAMES F. DURYEA.

Witn s I .QILILL IAN Bnannmao,

*THos. H. SHERIDAN. 

